Pair on drugs rap in Grenanda

TWO Whitley housewives are facing up to seven years in jail after they were arrested in Grenada's biggest ever drugs bust.

Anna Shepherd, 38, and Sharon Burrows, 36, were arrested on the Caribbean island as they were about to board a plane back to Great Britain and police seized what was believed to be £250,000 of cocaine.

Four Grenadian men were also arrested and Shepherd and Burrows have both been charged with drug trafficking and possession of cocaine with intent to supply, a Royal Grenadian Police Force spokesman told the Evening Post.

Coincidentally, Burrows' home in Callington Road was raided by Whitley police looking for crack cocaine and heroin on Friday. Nothing was found.

A friend of Shepherd, who is also known as

Annette, told the Evening Post she had gone to the Caribbean on a two-week holiday, celebrating her birthday while she was out there. "I am just so shocked," she said. "She is totally anti-drugs."

The women are being held in Richmond Hill Prison on the island near the capital of St George's and have appeared in court once. It is unclear whether they have entered any pleas.

The Foreign Office has offered them legal help and is in contact with their families in Britain, a spokesman said.

The Grenadian police spokesman said Shepherd, Burrows and the Grenadian men - Derek Parks, Johnny Francis, Lesley Victory and Mustapha Khan - were arrested at Grenada's Point Saline International Airport on Thursday, November 7.

Twenty-one pounds of what is believed to be cocaine was found. It has a street value of one million Eastern Caribbean dollars (about £250,000) and is the biggest haul in the nation's history, he said. "It is a lot of drugs," he said. "It is a big operation. The women were arrested before they were about to catch a plane to Britain."

A magistrate will deal with the case, but the length of time it will take to come to trial will depend on a scientist analysing the haul. Under Grenadian law drug trafficking carries a prison

sentence of up to seven years or a fine three times the street value of the drugs.

The Foreign Office spokesman confirmed both Burrows and Shepherd are from Reading. "We are certainly in contact with them and their families but it is down to the local authorities now," he added.

"The assistance would be providing an English speaking lawyer, information and that sort of things and answer any of their concerns."

Magistrate Patricia Mark refused to give Burrows, Shepherd and the four men bail when they appeared in court on Monday last week.